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Infinitenight's Lament
~Main Characters~ Infinitenight ~ a black she-cat with fiery amber eyes and multiple battle scars; story protagonist Roughdiamond ~ a tawny-colored she-cat with icy blue eyes; Infinitenight's bestie since kithood Blazepelt ~ a flame-colored she-cat with sharp green eyes; Infinitenight's bestie since kithood Scarletdrip ~ a red-furred she-cat with amber eyes; Infinitenight's secret (obvious) love interest, and bestest best friend Blizzardstar ~ a pure white tom with cold blue eyes; ZeroClan’s current leader Rosethorn ~ a pinkish-orange she-cat with green eyes; Dreamcloud’s twin; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Novastrike ~ a pale ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes, a torn ear, and a missing tailtip; Infinitenight's kit Colorsplash ~ a tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with green eyes; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Silentpath ~ a pale gray she-cat with clouded, blind blue eyes; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Galaxyflight ~ a black she-cat with brown splotches and hazel eyes; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Sevenclaws ~ a cinder-gray she-cat with denim-blue eyes and a misshapen paw; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Timefreeze ~ a brown she-cat with green eyes and an hourglass shaped spot on forehead; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Polarswipe ~ a white she-cat with lavender-tinted eyes; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Dreamclouds ~ a pinkish-orange she-cat with green eyes; Rosethorn’s twin; Infinitenight's adoptive kit Freshsnow ~ a long-limbed white she-cat with indigo eyes; resident of StarClan; Marshmallow’s mother Gorsestar ~ a dirty brown tom with hazel eyes; resident of StarClan; a ZeroClan leader Mothball ~ a stocky golden she-cat with amber eyes; resident of StarClan; a ZeroClan medicine cat Stormywaters ~ a dark gray tom with blue eyes; resident StarClan; Infinitenight’s cousin Toast ~ a light brown tom with gold eyes; resident of StarClan; former ZeroClan deputy Marshmallow ~ a white she-cat with hazel eyes; resident of StarClan; Infinitenight’s step-sister¬ ~Epilogue~ Several StarClan cats gathered together, sitting down and gazing down at the camp of ZeroClan. Marshmallow, an elder that died moons ago, watched Infinitenight intently. Toast, her son and a previous deputy of ZeroClan, stroked her back with his tail. Tears fell from the old cat’s eyes as she observed Infinitenight. She whipped her head up to glare at Gorsestar, the leader of ZeroClan before Blizzardstar. Her hazel eyes showed nothing but her undying rage. “Why must we punish her?” she hissed, her tail lashing. “She’s finally starting to recover from her sadness at her mate dying while she was raising her kit! She even has fourteen other kits she took in! Why must she suffer after finding so much happiness? Isn’t StarClan supposed to keep life good for the clans and the cats in them?” Gorsestar narrowed his eyes. “Are you challenging StarClan, Marshmallow?” he meowed in a superior tone. “I do not approve of you-“ “I do not approve of you being so okay with throwing my sister into darkness!” spat Marshmallow, bristling. Toast threw himself in front of Marshmallow. “Marshie, what is wrong with you?” he asked, his eyes wide with concern. “Gorsestar was your leader. You should still honor-“ Marshmallow stepped forward and thrust her head in his face. “You listen here, Toast,” she growled, unsheathing her claws. “Infinitenight is my little sister. I will never condone you fox-hearts trying to hurt her.” “It is not your decision, Marshmallow,” called a calm, low voice. “Infinitenight has had this coming to her. She may repent her sins, but she has not paid for them. It is because of this that StarClan must discipline her.” Marshmallow’s eyes became faucets, pouring tears out of them. “You are no mother of mine then, Freshsnow,” screamed Marshmallow, her expression wild. “I hate it here! You are nothing like the warrior ancestors I was thought you were! Send me to the Place of No Stars if you must; anywhere but here with you idiots!” The white she-cat ran off as far as her old bones would carry her. However, no matter how far she went, the star-filled grounds around her were vast and endless. She collapsed upon stopping, panting, and choking on tears as she remained in one spot. Moons seemed to go by before somecat finally succeeding in pursuing her, sprawled out in the middle of nowhere in StarClan. “Marshie… why are you so far from the ZeroClanners's hangout?” The voice of Stormywaters echoed in Marshmallow’s mind, causing her to lift her head slightly. “You don’t smell all the other clan scents?” The only scent to fill her nostrils was his. “N-No… I guess I didn’t realize,” murmured the eldery cat, looking at her paws. “Stormy, you know of StarClan’s plans for Infinitenight, don’t you?” The tom nodded, his eyes darkening. “I don’t approve of it,” he sighed. “But in the end, it’s up to the majority of the more respected cats.” Pain shot through Marshmallow as she collapsed again, landing on his sturdy shoulder. “I can’t bear to see her suffer anymore…” she whispered hoarsely. Stormywaters rested his head on top of Marshmallow’s, tears stinging his eyes at the sight of the compassionate old she-cat’s tears. He nosed her cheek and licked behind her ears, but didn’t succeed in calming her. Marshmallow calmed herself down a good time later. She buried her face in her paws, hoping her beloved step-sister would not be too miserable after experiencing StarClan’s wrath. Her companion shed a single tear, flatting his ears. Curse you, StarClan, he thought bitterly. I hate you all. I can’t bear being here anymore. An image of Infinitenight appeared in his mind. The black she-cat was far away, but as he squinted, he saw that she was smiling. As he galloped toward her, calling her name, her face became more and more clear. He finally stopped five fox-lengths away, cringing. Her smile was nonexistent. Instead, there was a heartbreaking frown on her face, and her tears would not stop falling. Dizzy, Stormywaters staggered away, not daring to even try to catch a glimpse of Infinitenight’s miserable facial expression. He ran away, turning left and right, going back and forth… But try as he might, he could not escape the nightmare of Infinitenight’s tear-jerking sadness. ~Chapter One: The Unexpected Accident~ Galaxyflight bounced out of the medicine cat’s den, followed by Silentpath and Dreamclouds. Maplebreeze, now retired, had greencough, and thus enlisted Silentpath and her two sisters to find some catmint, knowing there wasn’t any left in store. Galaxyflight, being the confident and adventurous cat she was, led the way to Upwalker Territory, her head held high and even more spring in her step. Dreamclouds was weary about traveling to their territory. She never trusted Upwalkers. No cat in within Ivyleaf Forest really trusted them except for Infinitenight, and she knew which ones could and couldn’t be trusted. Silentpath wasn’t too worried about danger in that territory. Infinitenight had made friends with all the kittypets there, especially Muffin. The kittypets of Upwalker Territory were informed of ZeroClan, and had even met her kits before. Besides, if push came to shove, Galaxyflight and Dreamclouds would have her back. “Gal, how much longer?” asked Silentpath, trying to gauge the distance herself through familiar scents. The black-and-brown she-cat stop bouncing and treaded steadily forward. “Mmm… not too much farther,” she meowed, flicking her tail. “We’ve just got to cross the Monster Path here and we’ll be there, okay?” Silentpath tensed up immediately. “Gal, Dream, I hear someone in the bushes,” she hissed quietly, pressing herself again Dreamclouds. Immediately after, two rogues leaped out of the bushes and ambushed the sisters. Galaxyflight snarled furiously and launched herself at one of the toms, overpowering him much to his shock and dismay. Dreamclouds didn’t focus as much on attacking as she did on protecting Silentpath. The blind medicine cat was terrified, quivering and praying to StarClan that her sisters would win. Galaxyflight tore off a part of the tom’s ear, causing him to cry out in pain and run off. The other tom, much stronger than Galaxyflight, was effortlessly landing attacks on Dreamclouds. The rose-orange warrior wailed as, with one powerful swipe, she was thrown aside onto the Monster Path. She tried to stand, but she collapsed, landing jaw-first onto the asphalt. Galaxyflight threw herself at the other attacker, grabbing his neck and yanking on it, hearing a loud crack. He howled in pain and bucked her off. Silentpath tried her hardest to help Galaxyflight fight him off. Landing the occasional attack, Silentpath flailed her arms wildly. Eventually, he froze, eyes widening. He caught the two off guard as he hauled himself up to his paws and ran. Pride gleaming in Galaxyflight’s eyes, she smiled at Silentpath. “We sure showed him, Si,” she purred, rubbing her cheek against hers. “Now come on, Dreamclouds, we’re almost there.” No response… “Dreamy, let’s g-“ Galaxyflight’s eyes turned pitch black. She stared at her sister, flattened and staring lifelessly back. Her jaws were widely parted and her eyes were glazed over. As Galaxyflight slowly approached, she could really see the marks of a monster across her side. She hesitantly touched her nose to her sister’s chest. She was cold. She had been gone for a while. Galaxyflight grabbed her sister by the scruff and dragged her over to where Silentpath waited. The medicine cat stiffened. “D-Dream, you have monster scent on you,” she murmured. “And blood… I smell it everywhere! Dear StarClan, she’s-“ Dreamcloud’s fur filled Silentpath’s open mouth. “Help me carry her back,” she meowed monotonously, her eyes nothing more than slits. Silentpath frowned, but did as she was told. She was scared now. I can’t sense anything from Galaxyflight, she worried. It’s as if '''she’s' dead, too…'' Her older sister wasn’t unfeeling, however. She was trying her absolute hardest not to cry. She was scared of what would happen when they got home. Of course, she was right to be. ~Chapter Two: Breakdown~ All of the clan was outside their dens having an afternoon meal together. Blizzardstar sat talking with Maplebreeze, the two sharing a large fish that Roughdiamond had caught earlier. Frosty was with Infinitenight and Roughdiamond, the three laughing together while chewing on their mice. Soulsearch was eating alone, as always. The elders all hung together by their den, sharing stories and gossip as usual. Blazepelt and Novastrike were conversing, and Scarletdrip and Venomflare were playing around with a ball of moss. All was calm and normal within the camp. Infinitenight padded off to the dirtplace to take care of her business. It was the moment that she was out of earshot that the camp filled with gasps at the sight of Dreamclouds. Cats parted to let Galaxyflight gently release her sister in the center of the campground. Maplebreeze scurried over, her eyes huge. “What the StarClan happened?” she asked, horrified. Galaxyflight whipped her head around, glaring at the elder. “Don’t you dare speak their name again,” she snarled, poking a forepaw forcefully at the former medicine cat’s chest. “They did nothing to save her! I don’t ever want to hear of them again!” Silentpath wept inaudibly, crouched at the entrance. Aurorasky rushed over, hushing her and insisting it would be okay. Timefreeze exchanged a remorseful glance with Polarswipe, who shook her head slowly, closing her eyes. Rosethorn suddenly leaped over to Dreamclouds, knocking over Phoenixwing. She buried her face in her twin’s fur, sobbing and digging her claws in the ground. Blizzardstar bowed his head, sniffling. Galaxyflight dipped her head as well, and then, one by one, everyone else in the clearing did so. A minute or so went by before Roughdiamond’s normally brash and vociferous voice mewed softly, “She’s coming,” Pawsteps were heard, coming closer and closer. After a moment, Infinitenight’s face appeared through the shadowy exit. She looked around from cat to cat, seeing the sorrow in everyone’s eyes. Even Soulsearch had a gloomy look on his face. She slowly stepped down the path, flattening her ears. “What’s going on with you guys,” she asked hesitantly. “Wh-What happened?” Novastrike and Galaxyflight came over to her. Galaxyflight opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. The pale ginger tabby beside her showed a rare act of compassion, nudging her away softly and facing her mother herself. Her amber eyes couldn’t stare into Infinitenight’s own, so she fixed her gaze on her paws. Her heart raced as her mother asked her once more what had happened. Gulping, Novastrike looked up a tiny bit. “I-Infinitenight… I’m afraid that, um…” she stuttered, ready to run away. “I’m afraid that… Dreamclouds is…” She couldn’t finish her sentence. Instead, she backed away, revealing the trampled, bloody, broken cat. Infinitenight immediately screamed, losing her sanity in a heartbeat. Every cat piled into the dens in the same moment, the oldest cat in each den locking them away from the black she-cat. Infinitenight ran over to Dreamclouds, weeping frantically into her dirty, tire-scented fur. After what seemed like moons, she cried in a more controlled manner. She stared at her crippled, unresponsive kit, fury and pain surging through her veins. Solarspark peered out of the kit’s den, afraid of her mother. Her fear melted, however, and was replaced by sympathy. She turned to Maplebreeze. “Maybe she’s okay enough for us to go out there now,” she suggested, shrugging lightly. Maplebreeze held her back with a forepaw, her eyes stone-cold. “Don’t even try,” she meowed seriously. “The grief of a mother who lost a kit is grief that no cat could ever even hope to handle. I know it might be hard to see her like this, but you have to let her regain her lucidity. I promise you, eventually she’ll be okay. Just… give her space.” Unbelieving, Solarspark turned to watch her mother again. Sadness clouded her gaze. Her heart felt deflated. She pouted and whimpered, rubbing her face in Dreamcloud’s cold fur. Then she began to hyperventilate. As if she just couldn’t control herself, she started screaming again. Thrashing wildly, throwing clawfuls of dirt and grass, rolling around on the ground, and practically giving herself whiplash, Infinitenight seemed to be helplessly insane. What seemed to be more insane, was the fact that Silentpath was padding out of her den with a bunch of herbs. Some cats hissed at her to get back inside before she was injured by Infinitenight, but she ignored them. She took some rosemary and rubbed it into Dreamclouds’s pelt. Maplebreeze understood right away. “She’s trying to hide the death scent,” she murmured, cats around her looking at her. “In hopes that the death scent lessening or being completely hidden will allow Infinitenight to calm down…” Silentpath approached Infinitenight slowly and dropped a poppy head next to her. “Infinitenight, as your medicine cat, I want you to eat a couple of these poppy seeds.” She shook out a couple and nudged them closer to the crazed she-cat. Infinitenight turned her head slowly and in a creepy manner. She stared at Silentpath with eyes that were only thin slits. The cats packed inside the dens gasped and murmured to each other, thinking the medicine cat’s mother was going to obliterate her. She continued to stare, and some cats began to wonder if she was even still alive over there. After what seemed like moons, Infinitenight obeyed Silentpath and lapped up the seeds. Moments later, the warrior drifted off to sleep, a frown still on her face. Once Blizzardstar decided she was far enough into her slumber, he allowed the cats to leave. The clan sat vigil for Dreamclouds until sundown, though no cat dared to make noise and wake Infinitenight. No cat dared to remove the corpse either. No cat would until Infinitenight had sat vigil for her daughter to her satisfaction. It was with that that everyone left the clearing except Galaxyflight and Scarletdrip. “M-My mom… she’ll be alright, don’t you think?” asked Galaxyflight, giving her mother’s best friend a nervous glance. Scarletdrip watched over Infinitenight with sympathy gleaming in her eyes. “It’s like Maplebreeze said,” she responded after a moment. “She’ll get better if we leave her be for a while. Time heals all wounds.” Infinitenight startled both she-cats as she moaned, calling Dreamclouds’s name softly in her sleep. Scarletdrip had never felt more strongly for her friend than she did at that moment. Her heart ached to be able to share tongues with her now, and let her warmth be of help to the restless warrior she loved. She restrained herself though, and settled down beside her with Galaxyflight, preparing for the next day. ~Chapter Three: Walking With a Star-furred Warrior~ As Infinitenight slept, she dreamt of walking in an unknown place. She tasted the air. There were so many familiar scents and unknown scent mingled together. The air was crisp and cool, the ground was soft, and the sky seemed incessant. She frowned, sitting down, feeling lost. She wanted to be home, but what continually threw her off was how her surroundings smelled like home. She whimpered and buried her face in her paws, shoulders shaking. She stayed there for a long while before she heard a voice. “Infinitenight…” She pricked her ears, swiveling them around. “Who’s there?” she asked warily, flattening her ears and fluffing her tail out. “I-I’m dangerous… don’t try anything.” The voice, sounding less muffled, called out again. “Infinitenight…” the eeriness was gone from the voice, and it instantly became familiar. Heart thumping, Infinitenight took a step toward the voice. “Dreamclouds?” she responded, her voice barely more than a whisper. Through the thickness of the sky came a cat. Tears fell from Infinitenight’s eyes. She sprinted over to her beloved kit, covering her face with licks and purring melodiously. Dreamclouds closed her eyes and inhaled her mother’s familiar primrose scent. Infinitenight’s body filled with warmth as she held her kit close once more. She choked on her tears, but smiled brightly. “Oh Dreamclouds, my dear kit,” the black she-cat was overwhelmed with joy. “What happened to you? How are you okay? Oh forget that, I’m just so happy that you’re alive!” At the moment, the rose-orange she-cat stopped purring. Infinitenight pulled back, staring into her eyes quizzically. Dreamclouds’s eyes darkened, and then Infinitenight understood. Her kit wasn’t alive and on earth. She was still dead. She was a figment of her imagination. Infinitenight shook her head, turning away. How could she have been so mouse-brained? Now that she was thinking, it was obvious she was imagining StarClan. Her mind was trying to give her what she needed; her kit. “It seemed so real,” she murmured. “I thought you were really my Dreamclouds…” Dreamclouds’s eyes brightened again. “Mother, I am your Dreamclouds,” the she-cat she was addressing turned around slowly, so she continued. “I am the same cat who was alive just yesterday. I am coming to you from StarClan through your dreams. I don’t want you to suffer because I’m no longer with you. I love you, and don’t want you to be sad.” Eyes huge and glassy, Infinitenight sniffed. “It’s just that…” she muttered. “First I lost Lunarblood… and now you, Dreamclouds. I loved you both so much and hoped I’d get to live out a full life with you. My mate and one of my kits are gone… I suppose eventually I’d be able to cope, but… the pain of losing you is obviously still so fresh… I just can’t…” Infinitenight stopped as Dreamclouds touched her nose to hers. “It’s very simple, mother,” she purred, her eyes glowing with love. “Know that you’re not alone. You’re never alone. I will ''always ''be with you. I may not be roaming this earth anymore, but I’m always going to be watching over you here. There may be a whole vast sky between us now, but that will not stop me from being there with you.” Grief sparked in Infinitenight’s eyes as she held her kit tightly. She then began to fade, and so did StarClan. The last thing she saw was Dreamclouds’s loving face before she blacked out.